New Delhi: Congress on Saturday justified the government's proposal to include Sports as a category for Bharat Ratna awards amid calls from several quarters for the country's highest civilian honour to be conferred on cricket maestro Sachin Tendulkar.

India has some jewels who do not require any awards to remain jewels. Sachin is also such a jewel. This is an important proposal to include Sports in the category for Bharat Ratna. This is not a question of an individual but including a category.

"Sports Minister has sent a proposal and that is with the government. It is a policy process. Let us wait and watch. If and when any such decision is indeed taken, I do not think there are any people in the country, who will think that such names are not appropriate for this category," party spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said.

He was replying to questions on the Home Ministry reportedly okaying the Sports Ministry's proposal and sending it to the Prime Minister's Office.

Sports minister Ajay Maken had earlier written to Home Minister P Chidambaram seeking the inclusion of sports as a category for the Bharat Ratna after calls from several quarters for Sachin to get the award.